The 29-year-old skateboarder and hardware company owner talks teenage adventures, busted knees and Praclip.

Interview by Nat Kassel. Photos by Wade McLaughlin.

Photo above: Hucking a huge hardflip out of the bank and over the numbers at a classic St Kilda spot.

G’day Woody, tell me a bit about your background and your experience as a young sponsored skater.

Thanks for having me. I’m 29 and originally from the Sunshine Coast. I have been skating for about 24 years. I first got sponsored when I was about 10 years old and rode for a variety of companies until I was about 20. Then I took a step back from sponsorship to just enjoy skating and take all the seriousness out of it. To be honest, the last eight years of my skateboarding have probably been the most enjoyable.

You got some good opportunities and got invited on some good trips as a youngster, yeah?

For sure. I guess the first big opportunity I got was at about 15 years of age through Kwala skateboards. Andrew MacKenzie and Ben Ventress really took care of me. They managed to get me over to the USA, where I spent a month in a van with the Black Label team, stayed at Matt Hensley’s place – dream come true – and turned 16 in Vegas. It was epic. I also owe a massive thanks to Anthony Mapstone, who took care of me through Hardcore Distribution after Kwala finished. He gave me lots of opportunities at a young age – most definitely the best team manager and someone who has done so much for Australian skateboarding.

Bump to back 180, all tucked up.

Then you got a knee reconstruction. What was the story there?

We were on a filming and photo trip down south, and I was linking up with Rome Torti – RIP – to finalise an interview for you guys [at Slam]. I’d been on the trip for about a week and there was a comp on the Central Coast. I started skating in the warmups and tried a trick down like a three-stair. I felt my knee rip and pop and I instantly knew it was bad. I got the operation about three months later and it put me out of skateboarding for about 12 months.

You work for Adidas – what does your job involve and how did it come about?

I’ve been with Adidas for nearly nine years, originally as a retail assistant in Brisbane. In 2016 they gave me an opportunity to move to Melbourne and now I’m based at our head office. My main priorities are operational, and planning based. Basically, I sit on Excel spreadsheets all day and provide data and reports to assist with inbound and outbound deliveries, financial review tools and the preparation of sell-in resources for when we go to market – things like catalogues and online product assortments.

What’s Praclip and how did you get started with it?

Praclip hardware started for the homies in 2018. None of my mates really had a hardware plug and there was a little bit of a gap. I started bringing in some products to sample and just hooking up my friends with some freebies and one thing led to another.

Bringing the heat, Woody nosegrinds an air-conditioning unit.

I guess Praclip is my way to give back to skateboarding and local artists. I want to give an opportunity to the younger skate generation, stoke them out and be welcoming and inclusive. I take my friends on filming trips and hook them up as much possible.

What’s it like running a hardware company in Melbourne?

It’s dope. We have a really strong team that stretches across all of Australia. I guess the hardest thing I’ve found with having a hardware company is the sample process. I mean, if bearings are good, they are going to last four to six months, right?

So, the testing and product performance process takes so long. We have a bunch of new products coming out in January 21, and the team has been riding them since July. That will give you an idea of how long it takes until we commit to a product. I guess it needs to be done to ensure what we put out is the best!

Man’s got solid pop and a hardware company to boot – Woody flicks a frontside flip over the rail.

How has the whole COVID thing been for you in Melbourne? How have you stayed sane through it all?

There were challenges, no doubt, but also a few upsides. I was lucky enough to stay employed fulltime and work from home since March with Adidas keeping me engaged and busy. I guess the hardest part was about three months ago when we were in full lockdown. Friends became distant and everything was closed. I found a few spots within my five-kilometre radius and would get out skating most days, but it’s just not the same when you can’t have the whole crew and then head to Yellow Bird for a pint afterwards!

What’s on for 2021 for you?

My biggest priority now is getting to see my partner and skating with her again. COVID threw a roadblock at us. With Praclip, I have been working with Caitlin Howells – an artist out of Darwin – on a rad new collection and I can’t wait to share it. I try to do at least one dope collab each year and this one is looking amazing! Most importantly, I want to keep skating and having fun. Things change and life keeps moving, but one thing that will always remain consistent is our love for skateboarding.

Praclip and Street Machine have a comp going on Insta. Click HERE to have a crack at winning a dope prize.

Woody avoids impaling himself on this treacherous-looking jam and bonks a crooks out of the bank.